The Adventures of Natalia Warden and Hal Talon 3
by Katlana Child
Summary: Natalia Talon is just a normal mother who happens to be Mal and Natara's daughter. After the birth of her third child, she gets a call from a familiar friend about her parent's case reopening. What will ensue once Natalia is assigned to the case?
1. Chapter 1

**I have been anticipating the release of Haltalia 3 since I started the series near the beginning of the school year. :)**

**REVIEW REPLIES: (From the last chapter of Haltalia 2) _((Just so you guys know, I don't always expect reviews and I don't want you to feel like you have to give me one every chapter. Whenever I read a really good story, I don't review instantly. I just don't have time to spare anymore. So, please...Don't feel like you have to review! I'm just glad you guys are reading! :D ))_**

**-Oryt**

**That's the reaction I was hoping for. I actually cursed myself after I killed Rufus because I realized I needed him for an important role in Haltalia 3, but I'll manage. :) And yeah, the recording part, I realized, was unclear. Hal was intentionally trying to make his proposal private, but since there are cameras scattered throughout a police station, it kind of ruined it. :) Dispatch, the people who study camera footage as it's being filmed, were able to see the proposal. Which was then sent to everyone in the station. I can imagine Nick isn't taking this very well. ;) And I'm all up for a fourth story!...IF you have a plot for me to write to. :) Or even if you want to write one yourself, tell me first so I can read it as well. :) And don't worry about the 'abandonment.' :) It's all good. Thanks for the review! :D**

**-The Sarcastic Polar Bear**  
**Hey! Thanks for the review! I think you'll like 3 as much as I loved writing it. :D**

**-mozzi-girl (Beast!)**  
**I seriously am starting to feel bad about killing Rufus. But yes, you're right about that; I am trying to go somewhere with this. Thanks for the review! They're always so Beastleh! :D**

**-LaylaaSkiesOfBlue**  
**Thank you! And no problem! At least you're reading. :) And NOOOOOOOO! Don't kill yourself! I love hearing from you! :) Haha! Thanks for the review! Love them!**

**Okay, as far as this story goes...I've written it down twice and already, it's way different than I thought it would be. But I still have the main plot idea and I KNOW ya'll are going to LOVE it! So, purposely, I'm going to wait a few days to upload again.**

**Also, I have yet ANOTHER story idea that will be fantasy. If you've played Fable 3, you might know what I'm aiming for. :) **

**I have to thank you all! :) Ya'll have been a huge support during my time on the boards; always willing to help and make my day brighter. You're all awesome and thank you again! :D**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Kai Rufus Talon_

I held the tiny newborn in my hands, tears streaming down my cheeks. I had almost lost my 'angel' after a long and difficult labor. But all was well. Amy and Chief Spencer stood in the room, both smiling at what I had overcome for yet a third time.

"He looks just like his father," Amy commented and smiled serenely. "I bet he has your intelligence, Hal."

Hal smiled. "If anything," he said, "he'll be as smart as his mother." He gave me a sly wink and I giggled.

I had loved this baby from the moment he opened his electrifying blue eyes. Though, it was apparent that he might lose this simple beauty, I cherished every moment of it. Tommy got along fine with the fact of a new baby, but sweet, little Brynn didn't understand. At only two and a half, you would expect some trouble here and there and she gladly delivered. She threw a fit when I told her that she had to stop using her plain crib. She also got upset when I moved her to another room, but Hal was always there to calm her down and even make her giggle.

She had yet to see her new sibling.

Around five in the afternoon, Sean dropped off Tommy and Brynn. He only stayed to congratulate Hal and I and to say his goodbyes to the kids. Tommy, who had stayed at Sean's house for close to a week now along with Brynn, was more than happy to see me. It was so weird to think he was now in kindergarten.

"Where's the baby?" Tommy asked excitedly and I nodded towards a crib in the center of the room.

"He's sleeping," I responded with a smile.

Hal smiled as well. "When he wakes up, do you want to hold him?" he asked and Tommy nodded eagerly. Brynn had occupied herself with some blankets on a nearby chair while Amy and Carli talked in the far corner.

"What's his name?" Tommy asked, after looking in the crib and I couldn't help but smile when I said it;

"Kai Rufus Talon."

"Like Uncle Kai!" Tommy exclaimed quietly.

I nodded. _Exactly._

-C.O.D-

While I adored Kai (Jr.) at the hospital, I began to experience the urge to rip out my hair at home. I had experienced this before, especially after the divorce, so this couldn't be that big of a problem...Right?

Right.

Hal, being the gent he was, was always on top of things. He jumped from room to room, cleaning, playing, caring, and feeding while he allowed me to rest. Though there were some things I had to do on my own, he tried his best to relieve the tension at home.

Brynn was still rebellious around her little brother and even tried to take him back to the hospital, but her plans were abolished each time she took the car keys. It took her awhile to realize that she isn't about to drive, so she just started grumbling words.

"Kai...You're too cute," she would growl menacingly. Often, she'd use the threat, 'I'll steal your food' and Kai would fidget and start to whine, which would satisfy her. Hal paid close attention to Brynn.

A month after the whole process, things settled down. Hal and I sent the kids to Sean's for a week off, and I resided at home while the dashing Miami Agent cleared the streets. Yes...I wanted to be back on the force with all of my heart; however, Hal refused.

One sunny morning as I lay on the couch, watching Kai in his crib, the phone rang. I cursed silently and ran to retrieve the phone just as someone knocked on the door. I sighed and clicked a button and answered,

"Hello, this is Natalia Talon!"

As I did this, I opened the door; revealing Amy, who smiled brightly. I led her in as I listened for the voice on the other line.

"Hello, Natalia...Um...Might I ask for your maiden name?"

"Um, sure, just hold on one sec," I replied and covered the mouth piece. "Kai is in the living room, Aunt Amy. Let me just take this call."

Amy nodded as I walked into the kitchen. "Sorry about that. My maiden name is Fallon."

A sigh of relief came from the caller and she spoke once more. "Thank goodness; I've been trying to find you for days now!"

"Um...May I ask who's calling?"

"Oh! Of course! How rude of me." The caller shared a small laugh of joy before continuing. "Natalia, I'm Captain Blaise Corso of the San Francisco Police Department in California."


	2. Chapter 2

**I took a moment to decide whether or not I should update... :D**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**-LaylaaSkiesOfBlue**  
**Aw, thanks again! And originally, the baby's name was going to be Nathan...But come on...We're talking Natalia here. And considering Tommy's middle name is Mal and Brynn's is Natara... :) Thanks for the review!**

**-mozzi-girl (Beast!)**  
**Hey! Haha, Brynn is pretty adorable. She's entering her terrible toddler years, which will be fun to write about...When she gets more spotlight time, of course. :) And thanks about the name. It seems to be a favorite of a couple people! :D You're right, I do have something planned and believe me; It's HUGE! :D I know you guys will love it; or hate it. Depends on how you feel. :) And yes...Rufus is awesome. :) Thanks for the review!**

**-Oryt**  
**I've read some of your stories though, and you're rather good! I'll even admit, a little more advanced than myself. :) And I'm serious about you taking over for the fourth story. If not, you can tell me your ideas and I'll see what I can do. :) And I agree with you on Brynn. (I have to admit, writing that made me smile and then I thought of The Sarcastic Polar Bear's 'Daddy's Girl, Mommy's Girl' (Which I suggest EVERYONE read because, without a doubt, it has a perfect amount of humor and emotion. :D ) Anyway, Brynn's starting to get a little...Um, whats the word...Snotty? Bratty? :) And I agree with you! I'm starting to like Blaise too. I heard she's pretty big in the ON DEMAND, and I'm excited to play that. :) Thanks for the review! :D**

**-The Sarcastic Polar Bear**  
**You're welcome! :D Thanks for taking the time to read! It means a lot to me! :D**

**-Composition Mills**  
**Hey! I've read your Baby Killer story! :D I'm loving it! :D**  
**Anyway...Thanks for the review. And it is probably a good idea to check on the last two stories. (They're both kinda short...It's the long intros that add length to the story. :) ) Also, thanks for the commitment. Knowing that you like this story plot is awesome, because you're one of the writers I do look up to. :D Thank you again! :D**

**So, to make things short; school ends this Friday and that means; Summer Vacation! :D As much as I've been crying these last few days, I'm excited to move on. :) (And don't worry about the crying; I just am seriously going to miss my class!)**

**One last thing before I close; I made a new video. This one takes place after Oscar does the unthinkable and Natara gives him her answer. Don't kill me after you see it, KK? :D **

**Thanks again everyone! Enjoy the rest of your week!**

* * *

"Blaise?" I asked as I strolled back into the living room. Amy looked back at me.

"Who's calling?" she asked and I sat next to her and covered the mouth-piece.

"Do you know a Blaise Corso from San Francisco, California?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. I knew I had heard the name before, but I couldn't recall to memory of the person bearing it.

Amy nodded. "Yes, I do. Why is she calling?"

I shrugged slightly and uncovered the mouth-piece. "Um, Captain...What's all this about?" I decided to put the call on speaker-phone so Amy could listen in too.

"Well, Natalia, as you probably know, I've worked with your parents when we were still detectives," she continued. "And I am calling to announce that your parent's case has been reopened."

This hit me hard...Too hard. I tried to stop any tears from escaping and just nodded plainly. "I-It has?"

"Yes," Blaise sighed. "Unfortunately, your real aunt, Cynthia, has been murdered last week and after careful consideration...I've reopened the case. I believe that the man who killed your aunt is also responsible for the murder of your parents."

"Well, that's great that you might have another chance to catch this guy," I replied, "but what can I do? I'm all the way here in Florida; raising three kids."

"Which is why I'm flying you and your husband out to California to help assist us on this case."

I was silent as this sunk in. I looked towards Amy who covered her mouth with one hand. Without further hesitation, she nodded quickly and mouthed the word, "Go."

"Natalia, are you still there?" she asked.

"Yeah...I am."

"Well; what's your take?"

I took a moment to compose myself before sighing heavily. "I accept. I can't wait around as this man goes about freely, thinking he can tear families apart."

"That's what I thought you'd say. You're so much like Mal in a way...But you also have a lot of Natara in you."

As we discussed flight plans and hotel arrangements, I felt a new rage boil inside me; I was going to make this man pay for the crimes he committed. I was going to make sure he was behind bars.

When Hal came home that night and walked into our room, he wasn't expecting packed bags to be lying around the bed. I was just finishing with Brynn's bag -She and Tommy would be staying at Amy's home- he got nervous.

"Um...Honey...What's with all the packing. You aren't leaving me...Are you?" he asked.

I turned around and then smiled. "There you are," I said and ran over to give him a hug. Surely, this would convince him that I had no such plans of leaving him.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Well...I got a call today...From California," I said, trying to choose my words correctly.

"And..."

"And they've reopened my parent's case." I let this set in before speaking once more. "They want us to come and assist them on the case."

Hal had to think for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't like this, Nat. This case is way too personal for you to get involved in."

"But the Captain _wanted _me to come..." I explained quickly. "Hal...We have to go."

"Something can go horribly wrong..."

"And that's a risk I will take in order to capture this killer."

"Anyone can be a suspect..."

"I know."

He examined my expression and sighed heavily. "Alright...Alright...We'll go. But you need to promise that you will think things through fully and not get ahead of yourself."

Even though I didn't like it, I nodded. "I promise. Now, our flight leaves tomorrow at 10AM..."

"Wait...10AM?" Hal asked quickly. I smiled and nodded. "Can't...Can't there be, you know, a week's warning?"

"Murder waits for no one, Honey." I replied before climbing into bed. I had had _enough_ for one day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello!**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**-mozzi-girl (Beast!)  
Hello! :D Anyway, thanks for the review! And, oh my gosh, the whole Fake British Babe just makes my day every time. :D Glad you're liking the story so far and I think you'll like the HUGE plan...Well...Kinda. :) Thanks again!**

**-LaylaaSkiesOfBlue  
Hey! I'm glad you're liking the fic so far. Your case is rested. :D (If that even makes sense) Thanks for the review!**

**So, it's close to midnight...It's boiling hot...And there are two annoying dogs barking upstairs in the kitchen. In other words...Since I couldn't sleep...I am writing.**

**Plus...It's SUMMER! :D Which means no more school until August, which also means FanFic updates more often! :D And to make it all better, it's only been two days since vacation started and I'm already super burned. :)**

**Hope you guys are having a great vacation so far! (And if you're not on vacation; hope you're having a good day/week!)**

**Thanks for reading!**

* * *

I was never _good _at math, but I did know one equation by heart;

Screaming Baby + Aggravated Parents + Annoyed Passengers =A Very Long Plane Trip.

Well, okay, Kai was only crying for a couple of hours, but it still ticked off every passenger around us.

"Can you please hush your baby?" one elderly woman begged as she tried to get some sleep.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, "it's his first airplane ride."

"Well, it's mine too. And I would like it to be more enjoyable..."

Snide remarks from people were welcomed as Hal rocked Kai back and forth. Since Kai was still very young and needed me around, we _had _to take him along. Hal had assured me that, since Kai was a good baby, the plane ride would be a piece of cake. Apparently, he forgot the equation;

Plane + Newborn = Hell.

I tried to sleep as well, after Kai had settled down, but it didn't help that we had hit some air bumps. I tried to contain my curses as I skimmed over news reports from two decades ago, recapping my parents' death.

_'San Francisco, CA. (September 19th, 2016)_

_'It is a day of mourning as two of the SFPD's best workers were found dead in an alleyway last night, just before midnight. _

_'Mal and Natara Fallon had worked together on the police force for a couple of years. Mal, being head detective and a native to San Francisco, had worked much longer than his wife, who had previously been an FBI Agent/Profiler._

_'According to Forensic Specialists, Mal was shot several times while his wife received a bullet to the heart. Captain Maria Yeong had this to say about the loss,_

_' "They were my best workers and it's still hard to believe that they're gone. We'll do whatever it takes to bring their killer to justice; not just for the SFPD...But for their little girl as well." _

_'Mal and Natara are survived by their daughter, Natalia J. Fallon, who is only 3 years old. As for her current whereabouts, we are clueless. The only news we can report about this little survivor is that she is still alive.'_

Another one read;

_'Quantico, VA. (September 18th, 2018)_

_'Today, the FBI gathers for a special memorial for the two SFPD officers; Natara and Mal Fallon. It is the 2nd anniversary of their deaths, but the hurt still lives on._

_'Mal and Natara were killed on September 18th, 2016. Mal received several bullet wounds while his wife only got one. The mystery of their deaths is still unsolved. Their daughter's whereabouts is also a mystery, as well as Forensic Specialist, Kai Kalaba, and his wife, Data Analyst, Amy Chen Kalaba. The SFPD has called off any search party pertaining to the three and continues to move on, acting as if the whole thing never happened._

_'A statue has been placed near the SFPD front, depicting Mal and Natara's profiles. It stands at the small height of 4 feet, 8 inches. Their deaths have affected much of San Francisco and to all police stations around the nation. _

_'Stations around the nation have also been assigned to keep a lookout for a suspicious looking man, who is said to be around 5 foot, two, and tan skin. (Keep in mind that the killer may grow as the years progress.)'_

The stress was building up as I began to flip through police reports as well, certain lines standing out before me.

"_It is the 5th anniversary of Mal and Natara's death and we still have no solid leads."_

"_10th Anniversary...Still nothing."_

Even Blaise filed a report on the most recent anniversary.

"_It's been 20 years since my best friends were killed and we still haven't found anything. I have a plan though, and this plan does require some outside help from none other than the last Fallon descendant, Natalia J. Fallon. Though, the last time I saw her, she was nearing her third birthday, I believe she has her father's ambition and her mother's will to complete the long task ahead of her. I have vowed to find the killer in the following year. This is for Mal and Natara."_

-C.O.D-

I was relieved when the plane finally landed. Hal and I gathered our possessions and walked to the exterior of the airport where a woman, dressed in business attire, met with us.

Her once brilliant blonde hair was now streaked with grey and her eyes looked cold. Everything about her seemed off...Until she saw me. Her expression lightened up and she approached Hal and I rather quickly.

"Natalia Fallon?" she asked and I nodded.

"That's me," I replied, "and you are..."

She grabbed my hand and shook it firmly. "Captain Blaise Corso of the San Francisco Police Department...And may I say...You look exactly like your mother...Only you have..."

I had heard this so many times, I decided to finish the sentence for her.

"My father's eyes...Yeah, I know."

Blaise smiled and released my hand from her grip. "Natalia, it is so good to see you again...More than just good...Brilliant!"

I couldn't help but smile as well. "Thank you, Captain. It's good to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you from Aunt Amy and Uncle Kai."

Blaise nodded. "I hope they only spoke good..."

"Well...Knowing Kai..." I said and she laughed.

"Oh...How are they, by the way? How's Amy and Kai? I heard they had a daughter now."

Oh how I hated it when someone pulled this up. Hal, however, took the kill on this one.

"Well, Captain," he began, "it's a long...Painful story...Involving robots..."

Blaise raised an eyebrow. "What?" she asked. "What do you mean?"

"Kai...Well, Kai went down fighting like a hero..." Hal informed and he began to go into full detail of our first mission together.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey!**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**-Oryt**  
**Your Review=WIN! Haha! I laughed so hard when I read it. Especially when you mentioned Azrael. :D I hope he doesn't die though...I like him. :) And wow...I didn't know the news articles left that big of an impression; not just on you, but a lot of others as well. :) Thanks for reviewing and reading! It makes my day!**

**-BreezyFan**  
**Hello! And actually, I would say that the whole idea took a couple of days, but yes, this story in particular took a while to actually think about, considering I wrote it once, rewrote it, and now I'm finalizing it. :) Thanks for reviewing and reading! :D**

**-mozzi-girl (Beast!)**  
**(By the way, I read your profile and when you mentioned me calling you Beast, that made me smile! You're such a beast! :D ) Anyway...I almost made the Beast cry? Man, I feel awesome, no offense. :D And I hate to admit it, though their deaths aren't as horrible as some...(Coughcough Armie coughcough) I tried to...Let's say...Make it horrific in a symbolic way, if that even makes sense. :D Thanks for reading and reviewing! Keep being Beastleh! **

**-The Sarcastic Polar Bear**  
**Oh my gosh, really? Wow, I didn't know the reports were _that _tear jerking! :) Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**-Somewhat-Strange xx**  
**Haha! Speaking of a certain DA...:D**  
**Dang, it seriously seems like the reports are the things that are upsetting a lot of the readers. *gaspeth!* You haven't even read the first two? Haha! Kidding. Though, if you do want to catch up on some important events, you can read them, but I try to explain the best I can about what happened in the previous two. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D**

**-PhoebePhorever**  
**First of all, WELCOME TO FANFICTION! :D **  
**Second, thank you for all of your comments! :D Yes, I love Tommy and Brynn...Brynn the most though because of her jealousy towards Kai. And originally, I was going to name the baby Nathan, but then I thought, 'Why not add some significance to his name?' and BOOM; Kai Rufus. :) As for Blaise, I totally think she'd make an awesome captain. In the first writing of this story, Ken was the captain...But upon recent events, I changed it to Blaise. In fact, Ken was a huge part of the story until the unfortunate event. :( **  
**Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**-LaylaaSkiesOfBlue**  
**Makkorra most definitely. :D Though when Bolin and Korra had their little 'romance' it was really cute and funny. Have you seen Episode Eight yet? When Ikki is assisting Korra in leading Asami to her room and from out of nowhere, Ikki says, 'Asami, did you know that Korra likes Mako?' Oh. My. Gosh. Funniest scene yet! :D Although, I have to say, even though Korra is pretty legit, Mako is a babe, and Bolin is just...BOLIN! I really like the Airbending kids and Tenzin. :) Thanks for the review and for reading! Glad you're liking it! :D**

**So, first of all...I hate what Fanfiction has done to the site. Does anyone agree with me?**

**Second; I've settled differences with my Metaphorical Genevieve Collins. Though we fought for a while over texting, I finally just said, 'You know what, this fighting is stupid,' blah blah blah, you get the rest. Then I had a mini epiphany and realized that she wasn't the cause of my problems, but that my wonderful Mal actor was! Augh...I hate being 14 and dealing with all of these hormones...:)**

**Lastly; I'm going to be writing on another site pretty soon; both cowriting and writing on my own. I used to write for it awhile back, and I decided to rejoin! So, aside from summer activities and writing on that board, I might have to delay some of my writing here. Just a fair warning.**

**Thanks for everything! You all rock! Enjoy Chapter Four!**

* * *

We pushed our way into the busy station, passing rushing officers and over-excited scientists. Blaise talked in a loud voice over the hubbub.

"We will be meeting in Yeong's office," she called out and I raised an eyebrow.

"I thought Yeong retired," I replied and she nodded.

"Ah, yes; I keep forgetting." She opened a door and led us into a more quite, serene room. As she locked the door behind us, a knock echoed throughout the room. Blaise heaved a sigh and opened the door. In the frame was a man of about fifty, wearing a nice suit. He had midnight black hair and dark eyes. But the thing that really threw me off was his skin color; tan. My thoughts drifted towards the worst thought possible and I gripped Hal's arm.

"Sorry I'm late, Captain," he said and strolled into the room. As soon as he caught sight of me, I yelped quietly.

"Oscar, this is Natara's daughter, Natalia, her husband Hal, and their child, Kai Jr," Blaise began, "and Natalia this is District Attorney, Oscar Santos. He was your mother's friend."

Oscar couldn't keep his eyes off me and eventually, Blaise had to shake him back to reality.

"Oh," he said quickly, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I...I just couldn't help but realize how much you look like your mother..."

"Kind of creepy, but okay," I replied. "Um...Blaise, can I speak to you and Hal alone for a bit..."

"I know what you're thinking," Blaise said quickly. "Oscar is not our killer. We've had him checked and everything and he still remains as a 'non-suspect'."

I wasn't relieved.

"I'm on your team," Oscar informed. "I, too, also want justice for my friends." He reached out to grab my hand but I stepped back. Frankly, I didn't want to trust anyone who had had a romantic relationship with my mother or my father. In my mind, they remained possible suspects.

"Anyway," Hal began, noticing an awkward situation was arising. "Captain Corso, do we have any suspects?"

"As of right now," Blaise sighed, "no one. Over the last twenty years, Yeong and I reviewed tapes and pictures, hoping for a clue. But let's face it...I was never as good as Natara or Mal. They would've solved the case in under a week, and it's taken us twenty years!" She sat down at her desk and rubbed her temples. "Twenty years my friends have been without justice..."

"Don't worry," Hal said and smiled, "Natalia and I can solve this case in no time."

Blaise examined our expression and nodded. "I believe you...But..." Blaise turned away. "We have to keep this case as secret as possible."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?" I asked curiously.

"Because Internal Affairs has never fully solved our ordeal when Mal and Natara were still around. They come and check on us every once and awhile and I need to make sure that the reopening of your parents' case remains top secret. Just having you fly to San Francisco is a huge risk already. So, your cover story is that you're here to assist us on a difficult case that our higher detectives are handling."

"Does anyone at the station know why I'm really here?" I asked cautiously and Blaise shook her head.

"As far as they know...You're just a transfer."

Oscar nodded. "And it's best to keep it that way. If Internal Affairs discovers that you're working on an extremely personal case...The consequences can be catastrophic!"

"How catastrophic, exactly?" Hal asked.

Blaise looked up at us, her expression unreadable. "You two could possibly lose your jobs...Mal and Natara's Case will never be looked into again...Everything that seems nightmarish to you can come to reality, because that's what Internal Affairs is; a nightmare coming to life!"

I nodded gently. As Blaise had continued on, she became more angry. I then remembered what IA had done to her before. They made Amy quit her job...My father was suspended...Captain Yeong was temporarily replaced. If they even got the slightest idea of having the victim's daughter work on their case...Everything could fall.

This thought didn't leave my mind, even after Hal and I had left the station to go to our hotel room. It was hard to relax with the constant thought of being discovered.

"Hey, Nat," Hal said quickly. "Are you alright? You look a little glum..."

"How can I be happy," I growled, "when I know I can screw up our lives if I spill out even the slightest detail of my parents' case being reopened!"

Hal could sense my despair growing and joined my side on the couch I was occupying. He held Kai in his hands, who looked up at his mommy curiously; wondering why she looked so upset.

"Hon," he began calmly, "you can't think negatively about this situation..."

"I can't stop! What if we do lose our jobs, Hal? How can we pay for our house...?"

Hal chuckled. "Nat, we finished with the house payment..."

"What about food...Clothing...Transportation?"

Hal chuckled once more and placed his free arm around my shoulders. "We'll be fine, alright? I promise."

I looked down at the ground and sighed heavily. I had promised Amy I would bring Kai back...I failed miserably. Promises just weren't going to cut it anymore...

"Now, why don't you get some sleep," Hal said quickly. "We have a big day at work tomorrow."

"What about Kai's babysitter?"

Hal nodded. "I've got it taken care of. Turns out, your Aunt Neha lives close by and I gave her a quick call. She agreed to come over and take care of Kai while we go catch our killer."

Though I was still upset about the whole case, I was excited about one thing; meeting my true aunt.

"Alright," I replied. "I love you." I stood up and leaned down to kiss Hal, who gladly returned.

"Stay positive," he called before I disappeared into the separate room where our bed lay. As I settled down, I shook my head.

"Positivity is the _last _thing I want to think about," I murmured before drifting off into a somewhat deep sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ooh, I think you're going to like this chapter! :D**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**-mozzi-girl (Beast!)**  
**Thanks for replying! And yes, now that the devilishly handsome DA is back, drama is guaranteed to rise! :D Thanks for reading, it really means a lot coming from someone of your Beastleh Status. :)**

**-LaylaaSkiesOfBlue**  
**Smh...What are we going to do with Oscar? :)**  
**And as for Legend of Korra, the more I see Chief Bei Fong, I really do think of Yeong! I mean, they're both really cool and tough. They were the captain of their own police station (Though I think Yeong hasn't really been removed...) Ah! I'm, like, nerding everywhere. I just saw Episode Nine and Amon...He really does creep me out. :) I'm rambling on about Legend of Korra again...*sigh***  
**Thanks for the compliment! :D**

**So, I decided to post today, mainly because I have nothing better to do. Can you believe it's only Monday? It totally feels like a Saturday! **

**Just a fair warning; I won't be able to post anything next Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. I'm going to a camp (that I'm not too excited about) and there is a strict No technology rule. I always end up bringing it anyway. :)**

**Also, one week in July I will not post at all because I am going to another camp and if I bring technology, I will be forced to go home instantly. And since the camp is literally ten minutes away from my house, my parents won't hesitate to come and get me. :)**

**Also, once again, I'm facing writer's block. Fable of Death is very difficult to write, and I'm stuck on that one, as well as Haltalia. However, I seem to be doing great with Le Caza. Smh.**

**One last thing, I posted two new videos on my Youtube channel (Skyrules177) They're only Volume 3 and 4 trailers, but I think they're pretty cool, considering they only took a few hours to make. I'm working on Vol. 5, but I need to replay it in order to grasp the concept. The trailer I am most excited about is 7. It's short...It's simple...And it's intense. :)**

**And before I continue on...I wanted to ask a very important question; Have any of you actually had a Cause of Death dream? I've been obsessed with the game for almost a year now and I _still _haven't had a Cause of Death dream. I feel horrible about it! I've always wanted one, that's why I play the game at night so I can remember it, but seriously...It's not working! Anyway, have you had a dream about CoD and what was it like?**

**(Also, I played Kings of Las Vegas pt. 2 and when Mal took off his shirt and...Haha! My friend and I couldn't keep it together. Also, I just think Blaise had 'perfect' timing when she yelled at Mal to undress while he was talking to Natara. Like everyone's been saying; It's all a huge misunderstanding and I really hope Mal steps up the day of the wedding. Maybe some Priest Tackling will take place again. ;) Thanks for reading!)**

* * *

"Francis Hardy," Hal said, placing a folder on my temporary desk. "38 years old and has a history of violence. It's not a lot, but this is what Blaise gave me."

I looked down at the folder and shook my head. "This man," I began, "was only 18 when my parents died."

"Are you saying it's impossible for him to kill?" Hal asked, taking a seat next to me.

"Not impossible...Just unlikely..."

Hal sighed and leaned back. "Well, it's all we got right now and if I've learned anything from Mal or Natara when I was younger, it's that following your gut is key. And my gut is telling me to check into this guy and see what's going on."

I pushed aside the other files I had been looking over; most of them being police reports of the night my parents died. Turns out, once they were killed, the whole state went into a frenzy; especially after I disappeared.

"Hal...My gut is saying no. However, if you wish to check out this guy, then be my guest. I'll just stay here and..."

Hal sighed heavily. "You know that's not how this works, Nat. The attractive agents always investigate together."

I raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Attractive?"

"Don't deny it," Hal said, winking. "I'm adorable."

I laughed. "You are quite adorable," I confirmed. "But I'm still not going. You can take Mr. DA over there." I nodded towards Oscar, who was currently arguing with one of the officers.

"I am _not _taking Mr. DA anywhere. I know Blaise said he's innocent but something about him...It just bugs me."

I raised an eyebrow once more. "Okay, so you think there's something suspicious about Oscar...And you're still wanting to interrogate Francis Hardy?"

"Like I said, Blaise stated that he was labeled 'clean'."

"That doesn't mean we _can't _question him, though..."

Hal smiled at my thinking and nodded. "You're right. We have the right to interrogate whoever we feel might have a hand in this case. Besides, it's like we run the SFPD now."

"Correction: _I _run the SFPD," I informed with a smile. "You weren't related to the victims."

"By blood, no," Hal replied, "but now...Heck yes! I'm their son-in-law which practically makes me a Fallon. Heck, even my last name sounds like Fallon."

As we shared clever banter, we didn't notice Oscar approach us. He observed our 'wit' for a few seconds before clearing his throat loudly, causing Hal to jump. I looked up towards the distraught DA and I examined him. Everything about his screamed stress; bags underlined his eyes, sweat beaded down his forehead, he looked as if he were losing his color. Something about him _did _throw me off.

"Oh...Um...Mr. Santos," Hal began. "What's up?"

"Captain Corso wanted me to make sure you were headed out to go talk down Francis Hardy."

I eyed Hal and he nodded shortly. "Actually, Mr. Santos...With all due respect...Hal and I thought we should try something different."

"Oh," Oscar asked, slightly surprised by our announcement. "And how so?"

"Oscar, can Hal and I meet with you in an interrogation room on the double?"

Whatever color resided in Oscar's face drained immediately.

-C.O.D-

Captain Corso stormed up to us. Oscar had agreed to sit inside the interrogation room in order to settle his thoughts.

"What are you two doing?" she asked quickly, her words striking like a whip.

"We're doing our job, Captain," Hal replied.

"By blaming the DA? You don't think the station's suspicions will rise once they see him, boiling out in an _interrogation room_?"

"Honestly, Captain," I began, "I don't care about what the officers think. I need to talk to Oscar myself. Something about him just seems off."

"As much as I would like to agree to your little investigation," Blaise said, anger rising in her voice, "I have to remind you that this case is supposed to be top secret. If anyone in the station finds out that the true reason you're here is to bring justice to your parents..."

"I know," I finished. "The risks could be catastrophic. Believe me Captain. I've got this all under control."

-C.O.D-

Hal and I entered into the secluded room and I sat directly across from Oscar.

"Are you ready to talk?" I asked quickly.

"I'm pretty sure..." Oscar said, though he was hesitant in his reply.

"Alright. I'll try not to keep you in here for too long. Captain Corso is watching and she told me to keep it to the point."

"And that point is..."

"I want to know more about your relationship with my mom. Why did you two break up in the first place?"

Oscar clenched his fists, a new rage boiling inside him. It was no question that this was an extremely touchy subject.

"Our wedding day..." he growled. "She dumped me then and there..."

"Why?" I asked calmly.

"Because...Because Mal..."

"What did my father do?"

Oscar slammed his fist down on the table. This seemed to send the rage out of his mind. He sighed heavily and hung his head.

"Your mother, she was everything I ever wanted in life. I thought we were perfect..._She _was perfect. In fact, that's why I proposed to her so soon; it seemed like the right thing to do. When she accepted, I was overjoyed. In fact, I thought nothing could go wrong...But that dream fell down the toilet in an instant.

"According to Natara, the day she left me at the alter, after she accepted the proposal, Mal, who had recently returned from his trip to Las Vegas, stopped by and told her that what she was doing was wrong. She told me she didn't want to accept it...But she soon learned that he was right. They ended up sleeping...Well, you know, they ended up building their relationship that night.

"As I said my 'I do's', she looked at me with a pleading look and said, 'Oscar...I'm pregnant...'. It didn't hurt as much, until she added, 'With Mal's child...'. I was embarrassed that day because I had boasted of our perfect relationship...And here she was, telling me she slept with her coworker and that she was leaving me to go be with him and raise their child. I was enraged, yes...But killing them is something I would never do."

I was utterly shocked. I couldn't stop myself from cursing under my breath. Why would my dad do that? Why would my mom do that? For the first time in a long time, I was ticked at my parents.

"What did you do after the wedding?" Hal asked, seeing as I was still deep in thought.

"Well...I drank so much, most of it was a blur. But I do remember, when Natalia was born, seeing as you were the baby that separated Natara and I, I thought that living a life where I only thought about my past love and how she ruined my life; that wasn't what I wanted, so I remarried to a nice woman who..." Oscar paused and gasped. "Oh my gosh..."

"What?" I asked in alarm. "Oscar, what happened?"

Oscar shook his head, tears now streaming down his cheeks. "I'm sorry," he cried out, "this is all my fault and I'm sorry!"

As confused as I was, I began to worry. Was Oscar really our killer?

"What's going on?" Hal asked, "Oscar?"

"I...I know who killed Mal and Natara..." was all he replied with, and that was just enough for me to begin freaking out.


	6. Chapter 6

**It's kind of short, but at least it's something.**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**-The Sarcastic Polar Bear  
I can totally understand the Daydream/Daymares because little things I see can remind me of it...But I've never had a dream. I'll work on it, though! :)**

**-no one heehee  
Haha, your little anonymous username made me smile. :D And I'm glad you're loving the story, and all I can say about the killer is that drama will arise and one person will not make it out of the story alive.**

**-mozzi-girl (Such a Beast)  
Haha! Thank you! :D I'm glad you're liking the story! **

**-Natara W  
Haha! I can't exactly say who is to blame. You'll have to read! But I like your theory. Thank you for the review and for reading!**

**Now that that's done, let me just say a few things before I wrap it up.**

**I rushed. I don't like this chapter as much. **

**And I am updating my profile today, so if you want to see what stories are coming up and videos, you know where to go. Thank you and I hope you enjoy! :D**

* * *

"Oscar, who did it?" I asked, now forcefully. "Who killed them?"

Oscar didn't respond. He stood up quickly, murmuring to himself. I placed my hand where I kept my gun holstered. "Oscar, who did it?"

"Arnold," he replied quickly. "Arnold Turner!"

"Who is Arnold Turner?" I replied. "Tell me, Oscar!"

Hal grabbed my arm and pulled me close. "Obviously, Nat, this is a hard subject for Oscar. Why don't we just go search him up and let him calm down for a bit, alright?"

Before we could exit, Captain Corso burst into the room. A look of pure shock was etched into her face. "Arnold Turner?" she asked. "But...But I thought..."

Oscar shook his head. "He's messed up, Captain. I told him all about what happened between Natara and I...And..."

"That son of a..."

"What is going on?" I demanded, now furious that I wasn't getting my fair share of information.

"We need to get Natalia out of San Francisco at once," Blaise informed quickly. "Oscar arrange a flight..."

"Hey!" I shouted, catching both of their attention. Blaise, although annoyed by the sudden interruption, saw the rage boiling up inside of me. "What the hell is going on?"

Hal took a step back. I wasn't one for cursing, and when I did...I was more than just furious. "I think what Natalia is trying to say is," Hal began slowly, "she wants to know..."

"What the hell is going on," I finished. "Who is Arnold Turner and why do I have to leave San Francisco."

Blaise and Oscar shared a weary look before Blaise stepped up. "Natalia...I didn't know how bad the situation was until...Well...Until Oscar mentioned the name. It's too dangerous for you to be here...As well as Hal."

"I'm not leaving until I know who Arnold Turner is and I am also not leaving until this man is behind bars and pays for ruining my childhood!"

The room filled with an uncomfortable silence. Oscar looked as if he were about to faint while Blaise stared at the ground, a million things running through her head. Hal placed his hand on my shoulder; a simple act of telling me to calm down. Usually, I would snap at him for telling me to do such a thing when the situation was so dire...But I took a deep breath and said,

"I'm sorry for my outburst...But you all know that I can't just go home. I made a promise to myself that when I returned to my family, I would do it as a hero...Not out of fear and danger."

"I see your point, I really do," Blaise said with a sad nod, "but this is far too dangerous now, Natalia..."

"Why?"

Oscar took a seat and rubbed his temples. "Blaise is right...It is too dangerous...Especially for the last Fallon descendant."

"You guys are treating me like an endangered species...I can fight my own battles..."

"Yes, we know...But we've said this many times, Natalia...It's just too dangerous."

They were really starting to tick me off now, but I tried to remain calm.

"Just tell me who our killer is and I'll decided on whether or not to call it quits," I explained. "It's a fair offer, in my opinion. I want to know what is keeping me from helping."

Oscar and Blaise shared another non-verbal conversation and finally turned to me.

"The killer is..." Blaise began, but Oscar cut in.

"My son..."


	7. Chapter 7

**A quick update for today.**

**-mozzi-girl (Beastleh!)**  
**Thank you! So glad you liked it! :D **

**-Oryt**  
**Of course I missed you! :D Haha! And don't worry about cursing. I'm totally used to it. :) That is probably the most unexpected reaction I have ever gotten from a story, but I LOVE IT! :D Haha! Thank you for reading, reviewing, and making my day! **

**-no one heehee**  
**I agree...If it's the killer, so be it. But I can guarantee it'll most likely be pretty unexpected. ;) Thanks for reading!**

**I'm actually going to work on two video requests today and hopefully get them over with. Also, I need to go play Fable 3 again (for like, the eighth time...) because I can't remember what happens after a certain part, and as you know, I want to write pretty close to the actual game, but still have a bunch of originality to it. Also, for those anxious about Natara coming in; she's coming in a few more chapters. There's a certain character that I want her to play, known as Paige. If you've played the game, then you'll know who I'm talking about.**

**Anywho, I want to sort of apologize; at the end of this chapter there is a memory. Since I've written this story so many times, I cannot recall if I already threw the memory in in previous chapters or stories. So, if it has been...I apologize! My brain refuses to work during the summer (and the school year). **

**Thank you and enjoy! :D**

* * *

_-TWENTY YEARS AGO-_

_Papers decorated a lone desk, cut off from the rest of the extravagant house. The scent of a well-cooked dinner hung in the air. A man looked over each individual paper, murmuring under his breath. As if this were his cue, a boy in his late teens walked into the room._

_"Hey Dad," he said with a grin. Oscar had married the boy's mother and thought that her son, Arnold, would be very hesitant to even think of calling him 'Dad'. However, the teen, within a few weeks, accepted the name._

_"Hey Arnold," Oscar greeted, his mind off in other places._

_"What'cha doing?" he asked, pulling up a seat next to his step-father._

_"Oh...Paperwork. It's quite boring actually."_

_Arnold looked at the mess, a single scrap catching his eye. He picked it up._

_"Is this part of a divorce paper?" he asked, his voice near a tremble._

_"Not a divorce paper," Oscar assured. "Just old wedding plans."_

_Arnold closely examined the paper. "Who's Natara Williams?"_

_Oscar sat back, heaving a great sigh. "She's an old friend."_

_"There's a heart by her name..."_

_"A very good, old friend."_

_"Is there something that you've been keeping from Mom?"_

_Oscar shrugged. "Your mother knows about the woman I was previously engaged to. For the record, Natara, my ex-fiancé, called off the wedding." Oscar resumed his paperwork. "She didn't love me anyway..."_

_"Did she hurt you?" Arnold asked, his voice filled with concern._

_"I'm not going to lie...She really, really did hurt me. But I'm glad I met your mother; she's an excellent person!"_

_"What ever happened to Natara?"_

_"Well, she moved on. She married the love of her life and they have a 2-year old daughter."_

_"But...It's only been a year...How can her daughter already be 2?"_

_"Well, when people love each other but are kept apart, they go to crazy extents to express it..." Oscar shook his head. "I guess that Mal, her husband, decided that a month before our marriage that he'd make his move."_

_"Made his 'move'?" Arnold raised an eyebrow._

_"On our wedding day, she said she couldn't marry me. She also announced that she and Mal...Well, that they were going to be parents."_

_"She cheated on you?"_

_"Yes, but bygones can be bygones. Like I said, I met your wonderful mother and I'm glad that my life is taking a turn for the better!"_

_"But you're still hurt...You think about her everyday, don't you..."_

_Oscar smiled. "Well, if I didn't, then I would be crazy."_

_Arnold nodded slowly, seeing how much this pained his father. He stood up and smiled back. "You'll recover someday, Dad; I promise."_

_Oscar chuckled. "Usually I'm the one to tell you that things will be okay," he said._

_"Sometimes the son has got to look out for his old man..."_

-PRESENT DAY-

I ran through the precinct, Hal nipping at my heel.

"Maybe you shouldn't have pushed Captain Corso into the wall, Honey," he called out after me.

"I don't care," I retorted. "The man who killed my parents is still lurking the streets, doing what he wants and I am determined to find him.

"Maybe you should give this all a rest, Nat!"

"And give up on my life-long dream?" I stopped and faced Hal. "I love you, but this is something you cannot pull me away from."

"And I totally understand that, but please...Listen to Blaise...Look at how you're acting! You've gone from complete serenity, to acting like a madman."

I could tell we were causing a scene, by the amounts of officers that were stopping their daily conversations to catch ours.

"You can't stop me," I growled. "Now let's go catch our bad guy."

-C.O.D-

After a long day of skimming the streets, hoping to find Arnold, I finally returned to the hotel room. Hal tried to assure me that things would work out, but that was my last concern.

I greeted my aunt, Neha, as she rested on the couch, Kai in his crib next to her. She didn't look _a lot _like my mom, but there was just something about her...

"Hey you two," she said, sitting upwards. "Kai slept all day..."

Hal gave her a smile as he looked inside the crib. "Thank you so much, Neha, for helping us out," he said. "Is there anyway we can repay you?"

I didn't even look at her while I walked into the separate room. However, I could feel her eyes fall upon me. "You don't have to do anything," she assured Hal. "I mean, I know you have probably heard this from all of the SFPD co-workers, but...Just seeing Natalia...Well, that's all anyone has been needing since Mal and Nat's death."

_Death_. That's right...My parents were dead and they always would be.

-C.O.D-

_-TWENTY YEARS AGO-_

_Mal held Natara close as they both peered down into their daughter's crib. _

"_I never thought I'd see the day when my daughter turned three," Mal commented. "We've been doing a great job, Nat._

_Natara nodded and smiled. "I'm just glad that we finally have a whole day to ourselves. Just you, me,our daughter, and the zoo."_

_Mal chuckled. "I can tell you're..." He was cut off by the chirp of his phone. He sighed and removed it from his pocket, looking down at the Caller ID. "It's Captain Yeong..."_

"_Must be urgent if she's calling us on our day off," Natara replied, her tone losing any excitement she carried._

_Mal pressed the phone up to his ear, talking quietly. "Yes Cap'n?" he asked and Yeong replied back. Natara couldn't hear, but at the speed she was talking, she knew it was important._

"_What about Detective Corso...Yes, I know we're technically on-call...We weren't going to leave until noon..." Mal sighed heavily and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "And you're positive you've got yourself a homicide...Alright, let me discuss things with Natara and we'll be over in thirty minutes." Mal hung up and looked towards Natara._

"_There's been a murder," he explained, "and according to Yeong, we're the only ones that can 'solve' it, mainly because Blaise is off on a leave that I never heard about."_

"_What about Natalia...We promised her..."_

"_Captain Yeong said that we could just come in and investigate for a few hours. In the meantime, Natalia can hang out with your sister."_

_Natara took a moment to let all of this sink in, before sighing heavily and exiting the room. "I'll go get dressed," she said and Mal shook his head. He then looked over to his daughter._

"_Sorry Blue-Eyes," he said, using her 'special-only-Daddy-can-use' nickname. "Looks like Mommy and Daddy have to go save the day again..."_


	8. Chapter 8

**Ooh! The future chapters to come are going to be awesome! Just saying. :D**

**And to Mozzi-Girl AKA-The Beast of all Beasts; Thanks for the review!**

**We're entering the 'fun' stage of the story. It's either going to go down hill or up hill; depending on how you take it. :)**

**ALSO-BUT I HAVE PROMISES TO KEEP-I created a new video and it was a video request! It's Give Me a Sign by Breaking Benjamin. It was requested by But I Have Promises To Keep, and if I do say so myself, I really like how it turned out! Go check it out!**

**Also, here's a little random tidbit; Did you know that if you highlight something on the iPod 4th gen, it'll read it to you? Haha! And since I just got my new iPod 4th gen, that's how I've been reading stories on the boards! It especially helps someone like myself who can't think straight while reading. :D Haha! Sorry, I just had to share that.**

**Enjoy this chapter! :D Have an awesome day!**

* * *

"Nat, wake up, Hon!"

My eyes fluttered open, falling upon Hal, who grinned widely.

"Get up," he said, "I've got a surprise for you!"

"Hal, I swear, if it's another spider you found in the bathroom, I _will _shoot."

He chuckled lightly. "You have to admit, the first few times it was hilarious. But no, that's not what it is. Captain Corso is delaying the case just for today, and I wanted to take you somewhere."

I groaned and turned away from him, burying my face in the hotel pillow. "I don't want to go sight-seeing! I hate it here."

"I know you do, but you've got to trust me. This will be the only thing I will make you do the whole time, okay?" When Hal noticed I wasn't going to agree, he rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Come on, Nat!" He then jumped onto the bed and proceeded to get directly in my face. "Please!"

I tried to swipe at him, but my attempts failed. "Go away!"

"I am not leaving until you agree to come with me!"

I pushed him away and grabbed my pillow and threw it at him. He laughed as he caught it. "Oh come on, Nat! Don't do this!"

"Leave me alone," I grumbled as I jumped off the bed and strolled into the bathroom to begin getting ready for the day. Needless to say, Hal followed me.

"I just wanted to take you to lunch at a place I used to go to when I was younger," he admitted. "I promise, that's all I wanted to do. I just want you to see the place."

I ran my hand through my messy hair. "You know I'm not a big fan of restaurants..."

"Yes, I do. But I can guarantee that you'll change your mind just this once."

I turned around and stared him down. I could already tell he was serious about not leaving me alone. He gave me another pleading look and I sighed heavily.

"You really think you can change my mind?" I asked and he nodded eagerly.

"Promise!"

I shook my head and smiled. "Alright, alright. But just because I'm sure Corso won't let us in the station until tomorrow."

Hal laughed and kissed my cheek before running to, most likely, check on Kai. "You won't regret this!"

I laughed to myself and faced myself in the mirror. "Oh Hal..." I muttered.

-C.O.D-

Around noon, after Neha arrived to babysit again, Hal pushed me into the car and drove out onto the streets. I looked out the window, examining the area. I mean, it wasn't so bad. Some mothers were walking strollers down the side-walk and businessmen were rushing, talking quickly into a cellphone or earpiece. It was almost similar to Miami...Only..._Their _memory was only here.

Five minutes later, Hal pulled into a parking-lot of what seemed to be a seafood joint. I had only a few seconds to read the name of the place before it disappeared from sight; _Rip Van Wrinkles_.

Hal shut the car off and leaned back in his seat. "Well?" he asked, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Well...What?" I asked.

"Do you like it?" he asked. "And be honest with me."

I shrugged. "Well, the outside could use some cleaning up, considering there's rust growing almost everywhere..."

Hal chuckled. "I understand that," he said, "but you know what this place is...Right?"

I shook my head. He asked me this as if I should _know _what this place was. Nothing came to memory though. It just looked like an old, run-down seafood joint that was still popular among the San Francisco people.

"You would think a Fallon would recognize her _own _restaurant," Hal said, smiling even wider. It finally clicked.

"No. Way."

"Yup! This place used to belong to your parents! They bought it after you were born and BOOM! Business was huge and...Well...It still belongs to them, but Cynthia has been taking care of the place. And now since she's...Well, you know...I decided to buy it; in your name of course."

"Hal!"

"What?"

I couldn't think of anything to say. Though I was upset by the fact that I now owned a seafood restaurant; seafood being one of my least favorite foods, but I never wanted to own something of my parent's. I couldn't show Hal that I was disappointed in anyway, though.

"Thank you," I replied after careful consideration. "This is probably the nicest thing someone has done for me." I wasn't completely lying. No one has ever bought me a restaurant before...

"Well, let's head in!" he said and opened the door. "And I know you're not a huge seafood fan, but trust me. Once you have one of their Sour-dough Bowls..."

I followed him inside the building, instantly greeted by a young man and an elderly woman. Their appearance set me off...But they didn't seem like huge threats.

"Hey!" the young man greeted. His black eyes sparkled with excitement. He had messy, black hair and tanned skin. The woman who accompanied him looked very similar to him, so I guessed she was his mother.

"Hey," Hal repeated, just as happily. "Natalia, these are the temporary owners, Charlotte and Jeremy Grande. Charlotte, Jeremy, this is Natalia _Fallon_."

Charlotte clapped her hands together. "It's so good to finally meet you!" She gripped my hand and shook it firmly.

Jeremy nodded. "We've heard so much about you, Natalia! And when Hal bought the place under your name...Well, let's just say my mother and I were ecstatic to meet you!" He then shook his head. "We were devastated to learn about your parents. They were San Francisco's greatest heroes; Even helped us out a couple of times."

I nodded slowly. "Thanks...I guess."

"Can we get a table?" Hal asked.

"Oh, of course!" Charlotte laughed and grabbed two menus resting on a nearby table. "Follow me! Jeremy, how about you get the drinks started."

"Yes, Mother!" he called and disappeared from sight. I looked back at Charlotte, who kept her calm smile. As she led us to a more secluded table, she set the menus down and nodded.

"Well, take a look and order whatever you want! It's on the house." She turned around to rush off to help out other customers. Before she completely left, she flipped around and called out, "Oh! And welcome back to San Francisco."


	9. Chapter 9

**I just wanted to put up an update today. :)**

**Very soon, I'll be starting another music video, featuring the Cause of Death sims...Because I can. :)**

**Also, to those who want to know, I sort of had a Cause of Death dream last night. I mean, only Mal appeared and for a few seconds, and I'm not calling it a COD dream...But it was pretty close. :) **

**The whole dream was about Hunger Games actually, and mainly because my friend is having a Hunger Games themed party this week and I saw the card for two minutes tops, and I had a whole Hunger Games inspired dream. Why that doesn't work when I play Cause of Death...I don't know. :)**

**Anyway, enjoy today's chapter. I might update later today or maybe tomorrow. Thank you! (Oh, and I apologize if the chapter seems a little rushed!)**

* * *

Hal and I sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before he finally spoke up.

"Look...I'm sorry I bought the place without your permission. It...It just seemed like the best thing to do."

I placed my hand on top of his. "You don't have to be upset, Hal," I replied. "I like this place."

Hal just shrugged and leaned back in his chair, removing his hand from under mine. Another silence fell upon us, until I wondered aloud,

"What's taking so long?"

It seemed as if we weren't the only table complaining. I sighed and stood up. "I'll be right back," I assured. "I'm going to see if something went wrong."

"Do you have your gun?" Hal asked and I shook my head. He then un-holstered his gun and tossed it towards me. I caught it, receiving a few gasps from the bystanders. I quickly flipped my badge before running off.

Silently, I crept into the back room, where I supposed the kitchen was. I heard hushed voices.

"She's finally here," one whispered. "What do I do, Mother?"

"Be patient, my son. Soon, she shall pay for what she has done to my sweet, loving, Oscar."

My jaw dropped slightly and I took a step back. "No," I whispered. "It...It can't be them!" I turned around quickly, but I was too late. The door swung open from where they were talking and Charlotte frowned.

"Natalia...Is something wrong?" she asked.

I cringed. _Everything _was wrong, but I couldn't say that.

"Um...I was coming to...Uh..." I lacked the complaint. "Well...It's been nearly fifteen minutes and I..."

"Why are you carrying a gun?" Jeremy asked, eying the weapon cautiously.

"I'm a cop," I said quickly and holstered the gun. "Sorry...It's just..." I shook my head. "I'll be going now."

I was surprised the even let me slip away. I crept back to my seat and Hal raised an eyebrow.

"Nat?" he asked, "is everything alright?"

"No," I whispered. "Nothing is alright, Hal!" I looked around before leaning in and speaking once more. "Arnold Turner and his mother are Jeremy and Charlotte Grande!"

Hal looked shocked, but quickly shook his head. "It...It can't be. Charlotte and Jeremy had background checks before they bought the place."

"They've only been running the place for a few weeks now, right?"

"Well, they were the managers for awhile while Cynthia handled some personal stuff."

I closed my eyes and cursed under my breath. "Hal, my best guess is that Arnold and his mother either killed or kidnapped the real Charlotte and Jeremy and once they took control, they found Cynthia and killed her. This sparked something at the SFPD, which resulted in getting me transferred, something they have been planning this whole time."

"And they knew that, once visiting the home of your parents, sooner or later you would come by here and..."

"They could kill me and possibly you..."

"Hmm," Jeremy said, now standing directly above us. I almost screamed, but I held it back. "That seems like something _Arnold _would do." He swiftly removed a pistol from his pocket. "But you're wrong about me also killing Hal."

"Get down," Hal called and we both jumped to the ground as Arnold fired the first shot. Customers screamed in terror and started towards the door, which made that exit impossible to reach. Hal and I were stuck here until everyone was gone. But the problem was; I could tell we didn't have that kind of time.

I stood up and fired a couple shots towards Arnold, which he dodged. He responded back with another bullet, only this time, it hit. I fell backwards and clutched my now bleeding shoulder.

"Nat!" Hal called and I had no choice but to throw him the gun. He snatched it and got on one knee and began to shoot. However, just like he did to me, Arnold dodged every shot.

Blackness slowly crept into my vision, but I forced it away. While Hal was engaged in a gun battle with Arnold, I tried slipping away, hopefully to get help. However, Charlotte, or whatever her real name was, didn't like that idea. She kicked me in the side and I fell to the ground, the air knocked out of me. As I regained my breath, she lifted me up and pointed a gun to the back of my head. I don't know what surprised me the most; the fact that this lady could lift me up, even in her frail state, or that she had a gun. Either way, I was shaking out of complete fear.

"You're going to pay, Fallon," she hissed. "You've ruined my husband's life!"

"He seems to be doing pretty well nowadays," I snarled.

"You don't know him," she responded coldly. "He hates you! You ruined his first marriage."

I heard another gunshot and this time a cry of pain. I looked towards Hal, who was now on the ground, his leg now bleeding.

"Give up," Arnold called, "and I won't hurt your husband."

"Hal!" I called and he looked towards me. He looked defeated in a way. He quietly mouthed the single word, 'Sorry'.

"You monster," I shouted towards Arnold. He just smiled and leveled his gun towards my heart. I braced myself for impact, seeing as there was no way I could escape it. My husband, the man I trusted with my life, was basically incapacitated. I wasn't sure if the SFPD was alerted of the shoot-out, but I doubt they would make it in time.

"Any last words?" Arnold hissed and I examined him. This was the man who killed my parents...And now he's killing me. I couldn't help but feel extreme sorrow. I had failed.

"You win, okay?" I growled. "You tore apart my family! You succeeded in ruining, not only my life, but everyone's life who loved my parents. You ruined my cousins' lives by stealing their mother from them. You won."

He chuckled lightly and pulled the trigger. A hot, searing pain coursed through my body and Charlotte dropped me. The last thing I heard before blacking out completely was,

"You're right, Natalia...I _did _win."


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey! Inspiration seems to come best when it's a thousand-freakin-degrees. Smh.**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**-mozzi-girl (Molleh the Beast!)**  
**Man, you make it impossible for me to eat, drink, or even brush my teeth when I read your reviews. :) Good job! Haha! Thank you so much for the review, and if you beat up Arnold, my money is totally on you! The Beast always wins. :) Thanks again! This review absolutely made my day!**

**-The Sarcastic Polar Bear**  
**Thank you! :D Glad you liked it!**

**-Harlequinprincess**  
**Aw, thank you! I really appreciate the kind review! :D**

**So, very quickly I want to announce a few things;**

**One: There are slight mentions of religion in this chapter if you look upon it in a way. I tried to keep it as low as possible.**

**Two: I really like this chapter and hope you guys do too!**

**And**

**Three: My computer is acting very funky. I had to restart it at least a dozen times today because the battery absolutely SUCKS! I'm hoping to get a new battery, and possibly a charger before the end of summer. To add, my wifi on here has also been very slow, while on my iPod, it's rather fast. I don't know what's going on, but I'm trying to fix it. **

**Oh, and from now on, I think I might only be able to upload Sims 2 videos, instead of 3. Why? Even though I love Sims 3 graphics and it makes a better movie, it is just too freakin slow! Sims 2 takes about five minutes at the most while 3 takes up thirty! **

**I've also noticed that my recent videos have had really crappy graphics and I discovered that after I reinstalled the game, I never fixed the quality. So, I can guarantee that my next video (Which is also a request) will be a little better.**

**Thank you for listening to my rant and enjoy Chapter 10!**

* * *

My eyelids felt heavy as I tried to open them. I figured I had been transported to another hospital, because the first thing I saw was a white room. I groaned as I sat myself up and rubbed my eyes.

"Hal?" I grumbled. "Hal, are you there?"

Like every other time I had been trapped in a hospital, I expected him to answer. However, this time he didn't. My heart skipped a beat. Did Arnold get him?

"Hal!" I called out, and the once out of focus room began to clear up. There weren't any hospital beds, or needles, or even those random little sinks. There was absolutely nothing besides whiteness. I pulled myself to my feet and looked down at myself. The bullet wound that should have penetrated my heart was no longer visible and the same went for my shoulder wound. I frowned slightly.

"Where am I...?" I muttered after awhile.

I began to walk around in the room, calling out random names and hoping to get a response. It was all quiet though...Too quiet.

"Okay, Natalia," I shouted, "this isn't funny! Wake up!" I stamped my foot in frustration. "Wake up!"

I didn't allow the worst solution to come to mind. I couldn't be...

"Natalia?" a voice boomed. I jumped and looked around for the source of the voice.

"Who...Who's there?" I asked, now shaking.

The voice didn't reply by words, but by footsteps. I reached for my gun holster, but found that it was empty. Cursing under my breath, I held up my fists instead.

"I know how to kill someone five different ways just with my fists," I called out, taking a step back. I bumped into something and flipped around. My heart stopped instantly, mainly because I recognized the face.

**Hal's P.O.V**

After shooting Natalia, Arnold and 'Charlotte' ran off. I should have stopped them, but making sure Natalia was OKAY was my first priority. I crawled over to her and felt for a pulse. I was relieved when I found once, but also nervous when I realized it was faint. I applied pressure to the wound and looked down at her. She looked as if she were in a peaceful sleep. The pain didn't seem to bother her at all. In fact, she was smiling.

It seemed like hours before Help arrived. Corso ran in and assisted me on carrying Natalia into an ambulance. I rode along, briefing the captain on what happened on a cell phone. All the while, Natalia kept her smile as if nothing in the world was wrong. Little did she know that she was fading fast.

**Natalia's P.O.V**

"Dad?" I asked cautiously, and the man smiled. He looked just like he did in the pictures Amy had presented to me. He was even wearing his usual suit. Without much thinking, he pulled me into his arms and I felt a certain warmth that I had craved for so long. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I buried my face into his broad shoulder. He held me tight, whispering reassuring things into my ear. I realized, shortly after, that we weren't alone. A woman had joined us.

"Mom?" I asked and she smiled as well. I never fully understood why people compared me to my mother...Until now. We looked very similar; chocolate colored hair that fell onto our shoulders and a smile that kept many secrets. She also pulled me into an embrace and I released 20 years worth of tears on both of them.

"Shh," my mom said after a few lingering minutes. She lifted my chin up so I looked directly into her eyes. "It's okay, Baby. We're reunited."

My dad nodded and brushed back a strand of my hair. "We've missed you so much," he said. "And I can't believe that we're finally together again! After all these years..."

I laughed, still tearing up. "I've missed you guys too."

And with that said, they both took my hands and we walked into the distance. I heard more voices as we ventured further; familiar voices stood out.

"...Kitchen fire that destroyed the foyer and dining room as well," one said and I smiled. I knew who belonged to that voice most definitely.

"Kai?" I asked aloud and my dad sighed. I knew he wasn't a big fan of the goofy scientist, but they were at least getting to a more friendlier level.

Kai glanced my way and stopped his talking. Next to him was a darker skinned man that I didn't know. He had a rough build and looked like he could even make Chuck Norris cry. However, the smile that appeared on his lips made him seem less frightening.

"No way," he muttered and stood up, leaving Kai behind, who soon followed. The man I didn't know approached my parents and I, smiling like a mad man. "Is this her?" he asked my father and he nodded.

"Natalia, this is my old and very good friend, Ken Greene," my dad announced and Ken took my hand in his own and shook it.

"It's an honor to meet you, Natalia," he said and that sent chills down my spine. It didn't feel right; I felt like it was an honor just to meet _him_.

Kai pushed Ken out of the way and pulled me into his signature bear hug. My dad rolled his eyes and my mom laughed.

"Hey Nat!" he greeted cheerfully. I made sure to hug him back. "I didn't know you died too!"

My heart stopped. _Died? _I mean, it seemed almost plausible that this could happen. I mean, I woke up without my wounds...And I was with my parents. I was about to question my 'uncle' when a voice called out,

"Well, I'll be! If it ain't the woman who saved my people!"

That voice could only belong to one man. I followed the voice and looked towards Rufus, a scruffy looking man who spoke with a heavy Scottish Accent.

"Rufus!" I called out and separated from my family to give my old friend a hug. "It's so good to see you again!"

"The same to you, my good friend," he responded and chuckled, returning the hug.

My father cleared his throat loudly and I looked towards him.

"Natalia...Your mother and I...Well...We need to discuss some things with you," he said quietly. "Privately."

I looked back towards Rufus and he nodded. I gave him one last smile before I ran off to talk with my parents.

We separated ourselves from the crowd and my parents sat me down on a just-appearing chair. They shared nervous glances before beginning their talk.

"Natalia," my mom began slowly, "what Kai said...Wasn't entirely true..."

"I'm not dead?" I asked and my dad shrugged.

"Well, you're in between right now," he informed. "You see, it's very rare when it happens, but occasionally, when a person experiences the life threatening situation, similar to the one you're enduring...You get a chance to choose your path."

"What do you mean?" I asked, though I had a feeling I knew this answer.

"What Mal means is," my mom began and sighed. "You can either choose to stay here with your father, myself and all of our other friends that have passed...OR...You can go back to the mortal life and live out the rest of your days there."

I considered this. I loved my parents and especially all the people I had lost along the course of life; but I had my own kids to worry about. I also had Hal, Chief Spencer, Blaise, and even Nick that meant the world to me...And I couldn't abandon that. I looked at my feet and sighed.

"It's a difficult decision," my mom whispered, gripping my shoulder. "But I want you to know that it is _your _decision."

I nodded slowly. Both were very convincing; relive my lost years with my parents or return to the pain and devastation, and yet have my family by my side.

"I need time," I muttered. "Please?"

My father nodded. "That's fine, Natalia. But you need to think quickly. Your mortal body will enter a coma and if you wait too long...Well, your body will make the decision for you."

I shook my head. "I meant a few hours worth of time..."

I stood up and walked pass my parents, my thoughts swirling in my mind. Being with my parents again; it's all I wanted. Living with Hal and raising our kids; I've always wanted this as well.

I secluded myself for an hour at the most before finalizing my decision. It was very hard to achieve the correct answer, but I did it.

I gathered my parents together and slowly announced the news.

"I love you two with all of my heart," I began, tears forming in my eyes. "And I love it here because I'm with the people I care about the most." They both nodded. "But...I have three little children down there and...I don't know if they can survive without their Mommy."

My mom smiled softly. "We can understand that."

"And may I remind you that I thought about this, putting my heart and soul into my choice." They nodded once more. "And I decided that...I'm going to go back to my family. I want to raise my kids and your killer is still out there. I swore I would capture him and bring justice onto our name; The Fallon Name. My work isn't done yet."

They both smiled and my dad nodded his head once.

"Most people are cowards when it comes to this, Natalia," he said. "But you...You are much different. You're a Fallon."

He pulled me into another tight embrace and my mother joined.

"We're so proud of you, Natalia," she said. "And we know we'll see you again soon."

I smiled and let the tears fall freely. "I will never forget you guys," I whispered. "Never."

They pulled back and my dad wrapped his arm around my mom. "We love you, Natalia. Always remember that."

I took a step back, already feeling reality slip into my thoughts. Pain began to become apparent in my chest and shoulder. With my last bit of strength, I wished them a goodbye that, for sure, would not be final.

-C.O.D-

My eyes fluttered open to the sound of a heart monitor beeping slowly. I could tell the room was filled with friends and family. I groaned as the actual pain hit me and Hal, who sat by my bedside, sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness," he cried out softly, "I thought I lost you!" Though my vision was still blurred, I could see the redness in his eyes. He placed his hand on top of mine and I tried to conjure up something meaningful to say, but ended up muttering,

"I hate hospitals."

Needless to say, I received a load of chuckles and relieved sighs.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summer Vacation is really only good for three things (In my opinion); fan-fiction/computer time, spending time with friends and family, and sleeping in. But when it's nearly 100 degrees outside...S.M.H This is why I choose Winter Break over Summer Break.**

**I'm in a hurry today, so I don't have time for Review Replies, but thank you to mozzi-girl (I am going to check out Midpoint!) and The Sarcastic Polar Bear.**

**Quick announcements;**

**My cousins are coming over on Monday, and they're the type of people who just love to hang out with their year-older cousin, Shelby. *Sigh* So, while they're over, my posting will decrease. And they're probably leaving in August or late July. So, until then, I'll try to post as much as I can.**

**Also, I have no clue what's happening to my computer. One day, it'll be fine, and the next; It's spazzing out, turning off, disconnecting to the wifi, and not uploading videos correctly. I might have a problem with my Windows Movie Maker, so I cannot be too sure about uploading videos anymore. I want to try making my latest video on Saturday or Sunday, so we'll see then. :)**

**Thank you, and hope you aren't dying from the heat or cold. (P.S, I rushed! I wanted to release another chapter so I can move on with the story. Sorry if it seems unclear. If you have any questions, ask in a review or PM! Thanks again!)**

* * *

**Hal's P.O.V**

-Two Days Earlier-

Doctors rushed in and out of Natalia's room, whispering frantically. I wasn't allowed to know what was going on.

It wasn't until I heard the word, 'Dead' that I sprung to my feet and charged towards her room. "She can't be dead," I muttered and pushed pass several resisting doctors.

"You cannot come in, Sir," one called out. "It'll just excite the situation which will cause things to fall dramatically."

"I want to know what's happening to my wife!" I had shouted and shoved the one who talked to me aside and pushed into the room. I didn't believe she was dead...It wasn't possible. She had been through so much already.

But the steady beep of a flat-line changed my thoughts. Natalia lay, deathly still. Doctors were inserting needles and tubes just to bring her back.

I left before I heard the heart monitor resume a steady beeping. I was frustrated...Tears of pain streamed down my cheeks.

"She can't be gone!" I growled and once more, shoved my way through a crowd of doctors, all there for Natalia's sake. "She can't be!" I punched a nearby wall and added a new crater to the dull decoration.

"If you keep up this attitude," a nurse warned, "I'll have to ask you to leave the building; and I'm sure you don't want THAT to happen, now do you?"

I didn't answer. I just pulled out my cell phone and secluded myself from the commotion. Stepping outside into the cold, wet streets of San Francisco, I dialed a familiar number and waited for the other line to pick up.

"Hello?" Amy asked cheerfully, as if waiting to hear good news about our trip.

"She's gone," I replied dully. "Natalia's dead."

I should have worded that better, but I was under an immense load of stress and guilt. _I brought her to the restaurant, _I thought angrily, _She's dead because of me._

Amy was silent as she allowed the news to sink in. I spoke once more. "Get on a plane, ASAP. Bring the kids, Carli, and Nick. They all need to come."

Soon after that, I hung up. I looked out into the blackness created by the forming rain clouds. Nothing stopped me from falling to my knees, splashing in the water, and sobbing.

-Present Day-

**Natalia's P.O.V**

Though barely able to make sense out of anything, Hal briefed me on what had happened.

"You were shot," he said, "and Arnold got away. You've slipped in and out of life a few times, and just today, you've been in and out of consciousness." He squeezed my hand gently. "At least you're alright now, and that's all that matters."

"Actually," a voice arose. I jumped at the sound of it, now realizing that Hal and I weren't the only ones in the room. Blaise approached me. "There's a lot more to this case than just that...Agent Talon."

Behind her stood Oscar, Neha, Amy, Carli, Chief Spencer, Nick, and even Sean! Neha held Kai in her arms while Carli and Amy watched over Brynn and Tommy, who looked upon me nervously. I never wanted them to see their mother like this. Never.

"What do you mean?" I asked, still unsure of the whole situation.

"You see," Blaise began, "When Arnold shot you, he believed you to be dead; at least, that's what we think. He would've made sure you were dead before fleeing the scene."

"And seeing that your recent state isn't...Well, good," Oscar cut in, "Blaise and I...Well mostly Blaise, decided to take you off the case."

"What?" I protested almost instantly. I was snapped back into my senses. "I'm _good _enough to be on this case." I wanted to prove my point by sitting up, but a sharp pain fought against me.

"You can't even sit up, Nat," Sean muttered quietly. "Look, I know you don't want to take any advice from me...But I think Blaise is right. You were almost announced 'Dead' at least twice. You need to take some time off to heal...You know; Be a mom."

Usually, I wouldn't let my ex-husband tell me what was best for me, but something in his words just made sense to me. But no, I wasn't going to back down just yet.

"But it's...It's my duty to protect..." I grumbled.

"I know," Amy replied, "but Natalia...This is very serious. The man who killed your parents is still out there, and he almost got to you."

"Which brings us to our next topic," Blaise said and sighed heavily. "Your physical health is not the main reason we're taking you off the case, Natalia; Believe it or not."

"What's the main reason," I asked cautiously, almost fearing the answer.

Nick cleared his throat and looked directly towards me. We had barely seen each other since I left for my maternity leave. He looked different, almost as if he lost every bit of happiness he used to have. He looked more rugged, depressed, and frustrated. When he spoke, it sounded like he was mocking me.

"You want to know why, Natalia?" he asked coldly. "It's because everyone in the United States of America believes that you are dead!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Running out of ideas...Unfortunately!**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**-mozzi-girl (Molleh!)**  
**Yup! Thanks for the review!**

**-BreezyFan**  
**Haha! Just a wee bit behind. :) And your dedication makes me smile! :D Thank you for the review and for taking the time to read!**

**So, before I move on, I have to announce that this might be my last post for awhile. Family things just surfaced and I got to take care of that before I fantasize about Cause of Death.**

**Also, I am starting something I thought would never, ever happen...The threequel to Officer Diggs and Hostage. The name I have chosen for it temporarily, and maybe permanently, is Minion. I have a summary on my Bio.**

**I also finished a new request for one of my YouTube viewers and it's called Enchanted. I apologize; I thought I knew how to fix the quality, but I couldn't. **

**This also leaves me open for MORE VIDEO REQUESTS! But seriously guys, I've resulted to asking my brothers what to do for a request! I need something to do during my free time! Please, Request Away! If you can give me a basic idea about what you want in the video, please tell me and I'll determine whether or not I can transfer it into Sims 2. (Because I stopped using Sims 3 for recording, some actions that you might have seen before will not be perform-able in Sims 2)**

**Thanks for listening to my rant. Also, thanks for your continued support and just being awesome readers. Have a good day! :D**

* * *

Waking up and being able to breathe; That's one thing. Being told that I wasn't alive in the eyes of the nation; That's another.

"Well, obviously I'm not dead!" I exclaimed.

Blaise nodded and stepped forth. "I know this is a lot to take in, Natalia, but since everyone believes that you are dead, Arnold might feel as if he's accomplished his last goal. He might even turn himself in."

"Kind of like how in the video-gaming world," Carli began, "once you beat the boss, the game loses it's special spark." She received a few confused looks before shrugging. "What, I'm a gamer!"

Hal shook his head slightly and gripped my hand for reassurance. "I know you wanted everything in your power to avenge your parents, Nat, but if you reveal that you're very much alive, this could ruin our chance of catching Arnold."

"And to make sure we finalize the point that you're dead," Oscar began, "we set up a very fake memorial service." He took a step towards me and handed me a small card.

"In Memory of Natalia Fallon Talon," I read and sighed. A picture of myself was plastered dead in the center. Underneath that was a saying that my father supposedly recited to me when I was younger,

"I won't always be there for you, but when I am, I'll make the most of it."

"It's a bit sloppy," Blaise said shaking her head slightly. "So sloppy, we didn't even add anything to the inside. It'll be a private memorial service. The media will appear sometime during the night to take interviews. So far, everyone in this room and a couple of the doctors know that you're alive. We are all under oath not to say a word about your survival."

I was speechless for a moment, staring down at the card. I even opened it up myself to see if Blaise was correct.

"What if this doesn't work, though," I spoke up after a minute of silence.

"What if what doesn't work?" Hal asked.

"The whole fake death. What if Arnold decides to make a run for it and begin targeting other families? What if he finds out that I'm still breathing?"

Blaise shared an awkward glance with Oscar who replied slowly. "We are almost certain that it'll work," Oscar replied, "and if it doesn't..."

"Well, we'll have the FBI on his tail and every police department out there," Chief Spencer confirmed.

"Yes," Blaise said with a nod, "but until he is either deceased or behind bars, you," she pointed to me, "need to play dead."

-C.O.D-

The next morning, I was released from the hospital under a grey sky. I made sure I was hidden before we dove out into the streets and drove straight to the hotel. Windows were blinded and locked and the door was guarded by a bodyguard who was also in on our secret.

Later that night, Hal prepared the kids for the memorial. He refused my help, constantly reminding me that I needed to rest. I couldn't do much, anyway. It was always a struggle to sit up or move my arm. All I basically did all day was lay on the couch (or bed) and took occasional naps.

"Why isn't Mommy going to the memorial service?" Tommy asked cautiously as Hal fumbled with his tie.

"Well, Mommy's still hurt and needs to get some sleep," he answered and looked over at me. "Right, Mommy?"

I shrugged. "But Mommy doesn't want to sleep. She wants to be working."

Hal finished with Tommy's tie and sighed heavily. "You keep begging, Hon. It won't work on me or anyone else you try it on. You're on strict bed-rest...Or in this case, couch-rest until we're back in Miami, which will be in a couple days." He walked over and kissed my forehead. "Just try to stay out of trouble, Nat."

I rolled my eyes. "Alright, Dad," I muttered and he chuckled.

"We'll be home before ten o'clock," he said. "That means three hours. Think you can handle that?"

"Whatever you say," I replied and Amy walked into the room. She had decided to crash in our hotel room, along with Carli, for the rest of our stay. Carli trailed behind her, looking upset. I knew that face.

Even when we were little, Carli _hated _dresses. It was always World War III when Amy tried to force her into a dress. Kai and I were innocent bystanders most of the time, but occasionally, we had to suit up and assist Amy.

I smiled. She never changed.

"Three hours in a tight, stuffy dress," she muttered, "Woohoo." She then mouthed the words, 'Help me,' towards me and I stifled a laugh.

"Oh come on, Carli," Amy sighed, "you look very pretty."

"Sure, sure, whatever." Carli walked towards the door. "Let's just get this thing over with."

Amy followed her daughter and Hal chuckled once more. "It must have been fun growing up with her," he stated with a smirk.

"Oh, you should have been there for one of the family reunions," I said, smiling at that very fond memory. "She was 13 when this happened and she decided that it would be funny to bring along a snake."

Hal laughed. "What happened?"

"The snake got loose and the dinner went up in smoke. Probably one of our more sane reunions."

"You'll have to tell me more later, Nat. We're going to be late." He kissed me one more time before scooping up Kai in his arms and rounding up the kids and leading them outside.

For the longest time, it was deathly quiet. I wasn't allowed to turn on anything that would make noise. Even the lights had to be turned off. I stared off into the blackness and thought to myself. My eyes began to droop shortly thereafter and I soon found myself in a dreamland.

Not long after that, sunlight fled into my eyelids. I groaned heavily and pawed at the air in front of me.

"Turn off the lights," I moaned. "Hal, this isn't funny."

No reply. I heard footsteps gradually get closer and a soft, electrical humming.

"Hal?" I asked, my voice now reaching a certain point of fear.

Again, no reply. The footsteps receded though and I thought I was dreaming. Maybe the bodyguard came in for water and left the lights on, or maybe he was coming to check on me. I slowly opened my eyes, but my vision was too blurred to make out the figure now standing above me.

"Lance?" I asked, using the bodyguard's name. "Is that you?"

"No," the figure replied. It's smooth tone was so familiar, it scared me. I couldn't think of who it belonged to though. "But I bet you wish it was." The humming got louder and soon, a sharp pain erupted in my chest. I could smell burning fabric as a white-light flashed. I grit my teeth against the pain, but it was no match. Before I blacked out, only one thought hit.

_Oh, COME ON!_


	13. Chapter 13

**This might actually be my last post for awhile! I tried to make it as good as possible.**

**REVIEW REPLY:**

**-BreezyFan**  
**Oh, not a problem. I was expecting a few chuckles. Natalia never gets a break, does she. And thank you for the review! I love it!**

**Okay, not going to drag on today, but I do have some important news.**

**PLEASE READ:**

**Not only am I facing family things, but nature as well. Remember when I ranted about the Earthquake. Well, as if Utah decided that we haven't suffered enough, it decided to spontaneously burst into flames like a lot of other states.**

**Today, my brothers dragged me outside to reveal a huge wildfire just outside our house. Though it is maybe 10 miles away, it's still a threat to me. However, a wildfire once started a half a mile away from my home and we never had to evacuate. If I do have to evacuate though, I'll try to bring my laptop with me and I'll try to update stories like that. I'll leave it like that.**

**Also, to those who may also be effected by the flames, or have family who is currently dealing with it, my thoughts and prayers go out to all of ya'll. It's a scary thing; being so close to a wildfire.**

**So yeah! Just a fair warning. Plus, in two weeks, I'll be on vacation with my friend. It starts on Monday, July 16 and ends the 21. **

**Thank you for the continued support and I hope you like this chapter. (It's rushed towards the end, but I really do like it!)**

* * *

_-Twenty Years Ago-_

_Mal and Natara ran into an empty alleyway, panting heavily. Nighttime was already falling on San Francisco and they were just about to apprehend their killer, a 16 year old named, Arnold. When the teen first caught sight of the two, he got startled and took off. They had chased him into this alleyway and he seemed to disappear from sight._

"_Get out here, Arnold," Mal shouted, waving his gun. "Stop running. As far as we know, you're just a suspect!"_

_Mal and Natara crept deeper into the alleyway, their footsteps echoing off the walls. _

"_Alleyways have always creeped me out," Mal muttered under his breath._

"_I can understand the feeling, Natara replied quietly._

"_Then this would be a horrible place to die, now wouldn't it," Arnold called, jumping behind them from no where. He now held a silver pistol and aimed it at the officers, who were startled by this sudden action. They slowly turned around, their own guns out._

"_Drop your weapons," Arnold growled. "Drop them and you won't get hurt!"_

_Mal and Natara shared a glance. They both seemed very unsure about this, but obeyed the killer. He smiled with satisfaction at their 'stupid' action._

"_Now, drop to your knees; both of you!"_

_Once again, the officers obeyed. "And put your hands behind your head."_

_As soon as they were in position, Arnold smiled. "You two are very obedient, just like dogs. And that's how you'll be treated. You both need to be punished for the crimes you've committed."_

"_We're officers, boy," Mal grumbled. "The only crime I've ever committed...In the force that is...Was either not taking orders from Lt. Anders or cheating in poker."_

"_With my help," Natara added._

"_You're very stupid, you know that right?" he growled. "You would think someone would remember their first engagement," Arnold waved the gun towards Natara and her face drained its color._

"_Oh my gosh...You're Oscar's step-son, aren't you..." she whispered and Mal looked towards her._

"_Our killer is your ex-fiance's step-son?" Mal shook his head. "This day just keeps getting better and better!"_

"_You," Arnold continued, pointing to Natara, "are an ungrateful slut!"_

_Mal narrowed his eyes. "Don't you dare call my wife a slut!" Arnold just ignored the 'threat' and continued talking to Natara._

"_You get engaged to a man who truly does love you, and instead, you go run off with this guy," he pointed to Mal, "and have a child together?"_

"_It was a mistake," Natara grumbled, "I'll admit that. But it was the best mistake I've ever made in my life. I am happy with the way things turned out to be. Even Oscar moved on."_

"_That's what you think, but he did anything but move on. Yes, he's married now, but don't you think he still talks about you? My mother was getting upset whenever he mentioned you. I was appalled by your story and decided to set things right." Arnold cocked the gun and pointed it towards Natara. "And set things right I will." He clicked the trigger. BAM! _

_Natara fell backwards by the force of impact. A perfect bullet wound punctured her chest, just where the heart happened to be. _

"_Natara!" Mal cried and was about to reach over to her when..._

_BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!_

_Mal lurched backwards and coughed up blood. Several bullet wounds peppered his torso area. He too, was on his back now and looked towards Natara, who was fading faster than he was. He reached out and found her hand. He gripped it and looked back at her._

_Arnold soon overshadowed them and scoffed. _

"_Pathetic...Just pathetic," and with one last bullet to the throat, Mal was dead. Natara followed immediately after that._

_Arnold smiled at his success and took off down the alleyway, making sure the gun was still with him. After all, the gun wasn't his; it was an unknowing friend's. Arnold had just created the perfect crime._

_-Present Day- _

As soon as I came to, I realized I was no longer in the hotel. I groaned loudly as I took in my surroundings. Of course, it just had to be an old warehouse.

"You're really starting to tick me off, Arnold," I growled. My captor chuckled.

"You're a bit moody, aren't you."

"Well, I think you'd be too if you were trying to get some sleep, but your killer decided to take you in instead. Seriously, this is getting old."

"I've only tried to kill you once, though!"

"And once is one too many."

Though my hands and feet were tied, I still had access to my pocket, which still held my phone. I smiled. _How stupid can this guy get? _I wondered as I held down 2-Hal's Speed-dial. Though I didn't know what time it was, I knew the memorial service must be over and Hal's probably freaking out. Once I heard Hal answer, I began my act.

"Where are we?" I asked, looking around the old warehouse.

"Why should I tell you?" Arnold scoffed.

"Obviously, you're going to kill me. I might as well know where my body is going to be found."

Arnold examined my expression and then sighed. "One of the warehouses down by the bay."

"Alright," I replied, "at least that's better than an _alleyway_!"

He only replied with a cruel smile. "Killing your parents was fun," he said, "but not as fun as it will be when I finally end the Fallon line by killing you." He fished in his pocket and pulled out a switchblade. "This will be very slow and painful."

He walked over to me and I began my obnoxious talking once more.

"Wait...What caused you to kill my parents in the first place? I mean, it seems as if you really had no reason; you just wanted the thrill of the kill." Of course I knew the answer to this, but the stupider I sounded and the more I talked, the more he would pay attention to me and not the growing sound of the sirens.

"Of course I had reason," Arnold growled. "Everyone has reason! Mine was for my father."

"But did Oscar really want you to do that?" I asked and Arnold scoffed.

"As soon as I told him, he became ungrateful and threatened to turn me in. But he knew my strength and my power...Or he would've given me up to the police."

"Oscar kept you safe?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Anything but..." Arnold shook his head. "Like I said, he was ungrateful. He didn't turn me in the first couple of days out of fear, but I quickly ran off, my mother following. I was originally heading to Florida to kill you, but you saved me some time by coming to San Francisco."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. In fact, that's the only reason why they brought you back! I know what goes on inside the station. Blaise never reopened the case fully. She figured once you were in the picture, I would come out of hiding. Well, the witch was right about one thing; I am out of hiding...For now."

The sirens were getting louder, but Arnold seemed unfazed. _Just a little longer, _I thought.

"You seem pretty certain about staying out of the law," I replied slowly. "I mean, the cops are pretty good. And I heard that they might get the FBI involved."

Arnold shrugged. "I've been free for twenty years. Twenty more will not be that hard."

The sirens were just outside the door, now. Arnold seemed to finally catch this and he looked around.

"How...How did they know?" he roared. "This is impossible."

"Never mess with an MPA Agent's family," I replied with a grin.

The doors were thrown open and Hal barged in, holding a gun up. Nick trailed behind him, also with a gun. Blaise, Oscar, and Chief Spencer stood back a good distance, but also held up small pistols.

"Hands on the ground!" Hal shouted as he moved in. Nick ran to my side and began to undo the knots.

"You alright, Partner?" he asked, working quickly.

"More than alright. It's so good to see you guys!"

"We wouldn't have made it if you didn't pull that trick with your cellphone." Nick ripped off the last of my bindings and helped me to my feet. My muscles screamed in agony, but I couldn't stop now. Chief Spencer also joined my side and I wrapped my arm around his neck, steadying myself.

"The kids are with Amy," he assured me. "Everyone is safe. We just need to get you out of here before!"

"Augh!" Hal cried and he fell backwards. Across his cheek was a gash. He traced the wound with his finger and winced. "You son of a..." He growled and jumped back to his feet. Arnold had his switchblade out still, threatening to stab anyone who came near. Hal, obviously, did not get the message.

"But the blade down and I can promise you'll leave this battle _alive_."

Arnold didn't answer. Instead, he started charging towards Hal, positioning the blade so it would make that killer cut. Hal, surprised by this action moved too slow.

"Hal!" I screamed. I closed my eyes out of fear and in a matter of seconds, I heard a clash and a gunshot. Two people cried out in pain; one cry being more gurgled than the other.

What just happened?


	14. Chapter 14

**Though it isn't the ending I had originally written, I think it's just as good. :D**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**-mozzi-girl (Beast!)**  
**:) Don't worry about it. :D Hehe, I like the reactions. Though, I have a feeling that there will be just some slight hate. ;) Thanks for the review! And especially for reading and sending positive thoughts through words. :D**

**-Oryt**  
**Sorry about the confusion! Hal's past is over with, but to recap; when he was younger, he and his family moved to San Francisco so they could be close to his father while he was imprisoned there. Hal then met Genevieve who influenced him, but never got him to kill. Hal's real name is Matthew Hunt. Might have exagerated a bit on 'bursting into flames' but it's close to what's happening. So much of Utah is on fire right now! And I've always been jealous of England and its rain. :) (I adore the rain!) As for our safety, I believe only two people have died, and that's pretty good. I mean, it's horrible for the people who lost their family member, but it's better than having a whole city perish. Although, I have to admit; at night, when you can actually see the fire, it's pretty legit! It really does look like something off a zombie movie, or an alien movie. Thanks for the concern. Also, thank you for reading and reviewing! :D**

**-BreezyFan**  
**At least I'm updating today. (Don't worry, I was kind of anxious to see the ending unfold as well!) I won't reveal ANYTHING! :D Thank you for reading and reviewing.**

**So, as I stated in my last chapter, I was ending soon, and this is, indeed, the last chapter. I am posting a short epilogue just for the fun of it! I'm kind of sad to let this story go, but it was really fun while it lasted. :)**

**Though, I noticed something; In Haltalia 1, I stated that Nick was going to get married. I don't know if I mentioned a divorce later, but let's just say that never happened, alright? Haha! I do not have a good memory at all.**

**Also, as for Fire Evacuation, the fire has moved to the other side of the mountain that overlooks my home and many others. Though, when I came home tonight from visiting my cousins, you could see the fire blazing. I shouldn't be happy about this, but that was probably THE COOLEST thing I have seen.**

**Thank you for reading this story! It means A LOT to me. I have more stories planned, most definitely! (And I might take Fable of Death down while I work on it!)**

**Thank you again. For my American friends, Happy Independence Day! For my UK friends...Happy Wednesday! (Unless you're celebrating a holiday today, then I apologize!) :D**

* * *

"Y-You shot me," Arnold's voice trembled. I opened my eyes, wishing I hadn't. The sight was horrific. Arnold's shirt was stained with blood, pouring from a puncture wound in his chest. On the ground, next to him, was Nick. Somehow, he left my side and went to fight. Lodged in his neck was the switchblade. Seeing my former partner so lifeless on the ground scared me.

Hal holstered his gun, revealing that he was the one who had shot Arnold. He knelt next to Nick, who didn't bother showing any sign of life. I tried to push my way over there, but Chief Spencer held me down. It seemed like forever ago when he confessed his love for me.

_"Because you've never had the girl you loved almost killed and yet, in the aftermath, drift and fall into the arms of some fake, wannabe, super spy!" _

Hal dealt with Nick as I was dragged away and set into an ambulance. I was really beginning to hate these things.

Blaise joined me and left Oscar to deal with his step-son and Nick.

It wasn't until the next morning when I saw Hal again. He looked nervous, but relieved at the same time.

"How's Nick?" I asked quickly.

He took a seat next to me and sighed. "Nat, he was stabbed in the neck," he said quietly and calmly. "I'm sorry, Hon...He just didn't make it."

My world felt like it had fallen. I mean, I loved Hal...But your best friend is someone you can love without marrying them. My best friend for nearly a decade was now dead. Why did I let this happen?

Hal gripped my hand, examining the pain that seemed to gleam in my eyes.

"He didn't make it?" I asked slowly and Hal nodded.

"If it makes you feel any better, Nat," he replied, "he died with the intent of protecting me. I would've been dead if he didn't take the knife. Also, though he could barely speak, he did tell me to tell you that no matter what happens next, he'll be by our side."

I stared at the bland hospital wall, oh so familiar with its acquaintance. My thoughts ran at a million miles an hour. When I met my parents...I knew that was all real...Or at least I think I did. And now, Nick was probably going to be where they are.

-C.O.D-

Shortly after that, I was checked out of the hospital. Nick's body was going to be sent back home so his family could grieve. I was so ready to relax in my house again. Though I was happy I got the chance to be in San Francisco; I was even more happy to leave. Too many things happened here that I would love to forget.

Our flight home was scheduled for that night. Amy, Carli, Sean, and Chief Spencer took an earlier flight, leaving Tommy and Brynn with Hal and I. While he instructed the kids to help with cleanup, I decided to take a final walk (though extremely sore) through the streets.

My stop; the cemetery. I slowly scanned each tombstone, hoping to find that familiar one. Soon enough, there they were; four tombstones marking my family history.

The first stone was my grandfather's, Jacob Fallon. He had died, when I was two, in a prison riot he tried to conduct. Something went wrong and Jacob ended up receiving three gunshots to the head.

The next was my real aunt, Cynthia Fallon. Of course, she was murdered by Arnold, which lead me to the final two grave-stones.

"Mal Fallon and Natara Mansingh Fallon," I read aloud. Tears sprung to my eyes and I tried to force them back. "I'm going to miss you guys," I said, smiling slightly. I was able to meet them at least once, and that was enough for me. "I'll try to visit more as the kids grow up." I ran my hand along the etched stone, tracing my father's name, then my mother's. "I will never forget."

A warm breeze washed over me and I smiled. "He's gone," I informed after a moment of blissful silence. "Arnold died after Hal shot him. He told me it took about a day for him to finally give up, but he's finally gone. You have Hal to thank for finally closing your case."

"But you have Natalia to thank for finding out who the killer was," Hal's voice rose behind me. I flipped around and smiled. A taxi cab rested near the entrance of the cemetery. "Our flight leaves soon, Nat. I'm not trying to ruin your moment, but I think it's best if you close up those loose ends." He gives me a confident smile, which I gladly return. I face the grave-stones one last time.

"Thank you," I say quietly. "Thank you for being my parents. Without you guys...I wouldn't be where I am today." I faced the other two and nodded. "The same goes to you two, Grandpa and Aunt Cynthia. Thank you."

With Hal's help, I was back on my feet. I gave one last look to the cemetery as I entered the taxi and smiled.

All was well.


	15. Epilogue

**Sorry this took awhile to come out. My computer was acting funky again. At least it's out though! :D**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

-Epilogue-

_January 16, 2039_

"Mommy," Kai whispered, tugging on my sleeve. It was nearly two in the morning. I was used to this, seeing as Kai seemed to have constant nightmares. Hal groaned beside me and looked towards our son.

"What's wrong, Kai?" he asked quietly.

"I had another nightmare," he said, almost guiltily.

I sighed heavily and sat up, Hal mirroring my action. We patted the new-forming space between us and he gratefully jumped on. He snuggled up to us and I lay back down to fall asleep, when he spoke again.

"Mommy, Daddy," he began, "can you tell me the story of the two agents who fell in love, but couldn't be together?"

I could sense Hal smiling. What Kai was referring to was _our _story. Ever since he could talk, Hal and I recalled the story. However, we took out most of the scary parts.

"Please?" he begged and I smiled.

"Alright, but only one time," I said and Hal and I sat up once more.

"Once upon a time," I began, pulling Kai into my arms. "There was an agent from Florida who became very famous. His name was the Miami Agent, but he liked to go by Hal."

"And one day, Hal was transferred to the MPA, the Miami Police Academy," Hal said, "and met the most stunning agent; Natalia Warden."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "And do you remember why they couldn't be together, Kai?" I asked and the three year old nodded.

"Because Hal was already married!"

"That's right," Hal said, smiling slightly. Though his previous marriage was a delicate subject, he made sure that the kids knew he was married before.

"When they met," I continued the story, "the chief of police, Chief Spencer, assigned them to be partners on a devastating case..."

By the time I was nearing the robot-scene, Kai was sleeping soundly. I looked over to Hal, who threw me a smirk.

"What?" I asked, laughing.

"Oh nothing," he replied, lying back down. "I'm just glad you're still in my life."

I followed this action and scoffed. "That's good," I informed, "because I seem to be really hard to get rid of."

This made him chuckle. "I love you, Nat."

"Love you too, Miami Agent."

-FIN-


End file.
